


in kunhang we trust

by jaemarked



Category: NCT (Band), WayV (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Athlete!Hendery, Athlete!Yangyang, Fluff, M/M, Nerd!Hendery, Nerd!Yangyang, Pre-Slash, WayV Ensemble - Freeform, might fuck around and turn this into a series, they're gifted students at a private school actually
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-13
Updated: 2019-11-13
Packaged: 2021-01-29 20:46:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21416416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaemarked/pseuds/jaemarked
Summary: Kunhang's got Yangyang tripping over his shoelaces. In a good way.
Relationships: Liu Yang Yang/Wong Kun Hang | Hendery
Comments: 9
Kudos: 196





	in kunhang we trust

Yangyang prides himself on being a bit of an overachiever.

Sure, he may be the class clown, but he’s also a first year taking second year courses, and the only first year on the starting lineup of the Weishen Educational Institute for Gifted Students’ basketball team. Plus, he was invited by the co-captains of the dance team to be part of the upcoming winter showcase. 

He’s good at what he does, and he _ knows _it. He outshone everyone else at the tryouts. He works hard in every practice and plays hard in every game. He loves basketball, and he loves his team.

He loves his team, so it's understandable that he’s a little frustrated at the secondary tryouts because seriously, everyone _ sucks. _The only reason they’re having tryouts again is because two people quit, and they need more players. 

It’s only been twenty minutes since tryouts began, but Yangyang is losing hope. He can tell Kun, their captain, is losing hope too, just by the way he’s standing. Dejun, their teeny point guard, is clearly trying his best to comfort Kun, but it doesn’t seem to be working. Yangyang is about to suggest they call it quits, because even the ever-so-optimistic Yukhei looks devastated as he begins another drill. 

_ Please, God. Please let someone who actually knows how to fucking play basketball walk through those doors, _ Yangyang thinks as he stares hard at the gym doors. Seconds later, the doors burst open. Yangyang wonders if he’s imagining the angelic chorus and the golden light shining down from the heavens. He _ knows _ he’s imagining things when he realizes the person who crashed unceremoniously through the doors was none other than _ Wong Kunhang. _

Yangyang inhales sharply and nearly chokes on his spit. What the hell is Kunhang doing here? If Yangyang is an overachiever, he doesn’t know what Kunhang is. A total geek, that’s for sure. He has long, shaggy hair, glasses with lenses thicker than Yangyang’s ass, and he’s dressed in all black, baggy clothing that made him look like a scary fairytale witch. 

Kun practically _ sprints _over to him, looking half-crazed. “Are you here for the basketball tryouts?”

“Yes,” Kunhang replies in his soft voice. Yangyang has only heard him yell once—in Chemistry when Mark had dropped a splint into the Bunsen burner during a lab. “Am I too late?”

“Nope, you’re all good,” Kun says, shaking his head vehemently. “Why don’t you get changed and warm up, then join us for a scrimmage?”

Kunhang nods, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He doesn’t do it sexily, the way anime characters do, but Yangyang is drawn to his chiseled facial structure and strong eyebrows. He’s always thought Kunhang is cute, especially when they’re doing a lab and he’s in those clunky goggles. He’s distracted by Yukhei clapping excitedly, turning around to see Huang Renjun destroying the next drill. He’s agile, Yangyang notes, and quick-witted. He turns around to watch Kunhang again, but he’s already disappeared into the change room.

“Alright!” Kun shouts, clapping his hands once to get everyone’s attention. They may like to joke around, but no one wishes to fuck with an angry Kun (and they may or may not respect him as a captain, but don’t tell Kun that). “We’re gonna play a scrimmage, so divide yourselves into teams of five.”

“But there’s only nine of us here,” Renjun interjects, raising an eyebrow. Renjun has powerful eyebrows. Yangyang wonders if it’s possible to recruit Renjun solely for his stare. And they’re the same age. It’d be nice to have another first year, especially because Yangyang is already bored of bragging. 

“Kunhang will be ready soon, then we’ll have even numbers.” Is Kun’s eye twitching? 

“Okaaaaay, Captain, maybe you should find a game ball in the storage room,” Dejun says, ushering Kun away for a quick break.

“But there’s already a ball?” Yangyang can hear Kun saying, clearly confused, but he’s too busy staring at Kunhang, who had just walked out of the change room. He has the top half of his thick hair tied in a bun, and he’s dressed in basketball shorts and a sleeveless top. He’s not wearing his glasses anymore, and though Yangyang mourns the loss, he has to admit he likes being able to see more of Kunhang’s face. 

“Him? I honestly doubt he can play ball,” one of the kids sneer.

Yukhei snorts. “You airballed a layup today, so you can’t talk.”

Yangyang snickers as the irrelevant kid turns bright red, and he catches Kunhang’s lips turning up slightly as the kid’s friends tell him to shut up.

“Okay, let’s get started! Kunhang, you’re on Renjun’s team.” Renjun waves his hand so Kunhang can see him. 

Yangyang sits down on the bench, leaning forward in interest as Kun throws the ball up. Renjun, though smaller than his opponent, springs up and tips the ball directly into Kunhang’s hands. Kunhang doesn’t hesitate before dribbling past his opponents with agile footwork, shoes squeaking as he breezes through the other team’s defense and goes for an easy lay-up. Yangyang’s jaw hits the floor. Kun actually screams happily, right into Dejun’s ear.

Yangyang can’t take his eyes off of Kunhang as the scrimmage went on. He’s cute in the classroom, sure, but this is Yangyang’s _ domain. _ Basketball is everything to him, and Kunhang is _ good. _Better than good. Yangyang might be drooling.

“Do you know him?” Kun asks, plopping down on the bench next to Yangyang, delightedly clapping as Renjun scores a three. “Kunhang, I mean.”

“Yeah, we share a couple classes,” Yangyang says. “I didn’t know he could play, though. No offence, but he’s like. Really nerdy.”

“Yangyang, you’re one of the biggest nerds out there,” Kun says with a laugh, leaning over to ruffle Yangyang’s hair. Yangyang slaps his hands away, trying to fix his hair without a mirror. “Do you think he’s good for the team?”

Yangyang watches as Kunhang passes the ball to Renjun who is under the net, even though he was in the optimal spot for a shot. Renjun steps out to the three point line, brings his hands up, and releases the ball, which sails in a smooth arc straight through the net with a _ swish. _“I think he’s perfect.”

“And it’s not just because you have a crush on him?” Dejun says, hooking his arm around Yangyang’s shoulders as he sat on his other side. 

Yangyang sputters indignantly. “I do not have a crush on him!”

Dejun frowns. “But you were drooling over him like two seconds ago.”

“Shut up, I was not!” Yangyang hisses, cheeks heating up. Dejun opens his mouth to reply but is interrupted by Ten storming into the gym in a flurry of papers and anger.

“I cannot _ believe,"_ Ten fumes as soon as he’s close enough for them to hear his complaints, “that we are facing _ Neo Tech _ next week.” 

“What?!” Yangyang, Kun, and Dejun exclaim simultaneously. Neo College of Technology are their toughest opponents, but because they’re in the East Division, they don’t usually face Neo Tech until finals. 

“Yeah,” Ten huffs, nostrils flaring. “Apparently, one of the schools dropped out last minute, so in order to fix the scheduling and finish the season before hell week, we’re playing Neo Tech early, and then again in the finals if we both make it.”

“We’ll make it,” Yangyang says confidently.

Ten laughs, ruffling Yangyang’s hair the same way Kun did. “You sure talk tough for a freshman, Yangie.”

Yangyang giggles, baring his teeth as he squirms away from Ten and into Dejun’s side, who grabs him to prevent him from slipping off the bench.

“Please don’t punch Neo Tech’s captain in the face this time,” Kun begs just as Yukhei screams, “that was the biggest foul I’ve ever seen in my life, are you sure you know how to play basketball?!”. Their captain sighs, standing up from the bench and making his way over to help Yukhei with the hopeless kids. 

Yangyang raises an eyebrow at Ten, who’s glaring at his iPad (upgraded from a clipboard). “Did you really punch the captain?”

“Taeyong deserved it,” Ten replies, crossing his arms indignantly. “He tried to seduce Winwinnie.”

“He did _ not _seduce Winwin,” Dejun interrupts, rolling his eyes. “Sicheng very willingly slept with Taeyong.”

“Hold on,” Yangyang whisper shouts. “Winwin slept with Neo Tech’s captain?”

“Duh,” Dejun says. “Have you _ seen _Taeyong?”

Yangyang has, but only in pictures and videos of games. He hasn’t actually met any of the members of Neo Tech in person. 

“The _ betrayal _,” Ten gasps, then bursts into laughter as Yangyang and Dejun roll their eyes at him. “I’m just kidding. Yong and I just had a little disagreement.” 

“Yong?” Yangyang whispers to Dejun questioningly. Dejun just shrugs back, seemingly confused himself. What a useless second year. What was the point of Dejun’s experience on the team if he didn’t know all the tea? 

“Do you think we can beat them?” Dejun asks. Neo Tech weren’t just good, they were better than good. There was a reason they always made it to the finals.

“I don’t know,” Ten answers honestly, sitting on Dejun’s other side. “I’ve heard they got a baby ace, now. Mark Lee?”

Yangyang shakes his head, and from the corner of his eye, sees Dejun do the same. “Never heard of him.”

Ten smiles. “No, probably not. I’ve heard that he’s pretty average, actually.”

Yangyang’s eyebrows furrow. “Average? How can he be the ace?”

“_ Johnny’s _the ace,” Ten reminds him. “I’m just saying the Mark kid might take Johnny’s place in a couple of years.”

“But how?” Yangyang repeats. It didn’t make sense to him, how an average player could become the ace.

Ten shrugs. “I don’t know much, but what I’ve heard is that he’s impossible to stop once he’s in the paint. He sucks at threes, but once he’s in the paint he never misses a shot. And,” he continues, “if his teammates are upset, or if they’re about to lose, Mark gets ten times better.”

Neo Tech are known for the ability to win in a pinch. Even if they’re down ten, twenty points, they always seem to come back in the last quarter. It makes sense now, how Mark could be the ace.

“But who knows? We’ve beat them before, we can beat them again,” Ten says. “Besides, it looks like we also have a new candidate for ace.”

Yangyang turns just in time to catch Kunhang shooting from half-court.

It goes in.

-

“Hey.”

Yangyang sits next to Kunhang in Chemistry class. Kunhang visibly startles behind his thick lenses, looking up from his textbook to Yangyang’s face in surprise.

“Congrats on making the basketball team. You were really good last night,” Yangyang says earnestly, taking out his own textbook and pencil case. 

He feels Kunhang’s gaze sliding over every inch of his face, calculating, but he doesn’t let him smile falter. He really means it. Whatever Kunhang was looking for, he doesn’t seem to find, so he smiles back, tiny but genuine. Yangyang’s heart flutters.

“Thank you.” Yangyang waits a little, but Kunhang doesn’t say anything else. He’s still staring though, so Yangyang tries to make conversation.

“Have you been playing basketball long?” 

Kunhang shrugs, finally looking away. “A couple years, give or take.”

Yangyang is impressed. “You play really well for someone without too much experience.”

“That’s not a lot?” Kunhang asks, more confused than anything. “How long have you been playing?”

“Like, six years,” Yangyang answers casually, shrugging one shoulder. He doesn’t want to come off as bragging, but he’s been training with private coaches for a pretty long time, and played on his middle school team every year until he graduated. “That’s pretty much how long everyone else on our team has played for.”

Kunhang’s mouth opens in shock. He looks really cute, with his hair down and his uniform done up impeccably. “That’s a long time, wow. You must really love basketball.”

“It’s my life,” Yangyang says simply, and turns to the front just as the instructor stands up from her desk to begin the lesson. Immediately, Kunhang also faces the front, eyes alert and mechanical pencil ready. 

Yangyang smiles helplessly. Cute, studious, and amazing at basketball. If Kunhang gets any more perfect, Yangyang just might explode.

He spends the rest of the lesson in a daze, copying down the notes without even thinking about it. He’s too busy watching Kunhang’s hand fly across the paper as he draws neat diagrams and organizes his notes in boxes. His actual handwriting is pretty messy but it’s endearing all the same.

Ten minutes before the bell, the teacher assigns homework questions. Yangyang clips it to the front of his binder so he’ll see it when he empties his bag after practice tonight. He’s busy, but not busy enough to miss Kunhang slipping a small piece of paper on his desk. He grabs it so quickly Kunhang startles, freezing in place.

_ i don’t know if you know this, but sometimes you think out loud. but it’s ok, i think you’re cute too. take me out on a date, some time. (xxx) xxx xxxx -kunhang _

“Wong Kunhang, the man that you are,” Yangyang whispers, stunned.

He doesn’t get to see Kunhang’s reaction, because he’s already turned away, but he does catch the corner of Kunhang’s mouth turned up in a smile before he walks out of the classroom.

_ Cute. He’s really cute. I’m gonna woo him so fucking hard he won’t even see it coming. _

He looks up when someone taps on his shoulder. Yukhei is giving him a weird look from behind his stack of textbooks for classes he isn’t even taking. 

“Hey, dude, you know think out loud, right?”

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! if u liked it pls leave a kudos or a comment, i'd really appreciate it!
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/jaemarkism)  
[curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/jaemarked)


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